Card-operated telephone

• US 4,879,744 A
• Filed: 06/28/1988
• Issued: 11/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omron Tateisi Electronics Co. (Omron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Tateisi Electronics Co. (Omron Corporation)
• Inventors: Endo, Kimikazu, Tasaki, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/212,136
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 379/91, 379/144, 379/357, 235/375, 235/379, 235/380
• US Class Current: 379/144.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2765 implemented by means of portable magnetic cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/023 Circuit arrangements

Abstract

A telephone of the type that employs a magnetic card having a certain value or worth recorded thereon, and which permits a user to cummunicate by the telephone within the limits of the remaining value of the card, records a dialed number on the card when the card is used a first time, and automatically dials the recorded number when the card is subsequently used.

Claims

1. A card-operated telephone having a card reader for reading card data, which is inclusive of value, stored in a telephone card, which telephone permits a user to communicate within the limits of the value included in the card data and comprises:

means for determining whether the telephone card is being used a first time;

means for reading and storing dialing data in a case where the telephone card is being used a first time;

writing means for writing the stored dialing data into the telephone card at the end of communication in the case where the telephone card is being used a first time; and

automatic dialing means, operative when the telephone card is used other than a first time, for transmitting a dialing signal based on the dialing data read from the telephone card.

2. The telephone as defined in claim 1, wherein said writing means writes the dialing data into the telephone card after a write confirmation input is made.

3. The telephone as defined in claim 1, wherein said automatic dialing means transmits the dialing signal after an automatic dialing selection input is made.

4. A card-operated telephone having a card reader for reading card data, which is inclusive of value, stored in a telephone card, which telephone permits a user to communicate within the limits of the value included in the card data and comprises:

first means associated with said card reader for reading dialing data from a telephone card and storing the read dialing data,

second means for detecting and storing dialing data representing dialing signals transmitted from the telephone,

writing means for writing the dialing data stored in the second means into the telephone card at the end of a telephone communication and in response to the existence of a predetermined condition,

means for setting an automatic dialing mode, and

automatic dialing means, operative when an automatic dialing mode is set, for transmitting a dialing signal based on the dialing data stored in the first means.

5. A card-operated telephone as in claim 4, wherein said predetermined condition is the setting of a card writing condition, said telephone further comprising means for setting said card writing condition.

6. A card-operating telephone as in claim 5 wherein said means for setting said card writing condition is an operator actuated key.

7. A card operated telephone as in claim 4 wherein said means for setting an automatic dialing mode is an operator actuated key.